Drinking Soda May Increase Your Blood Pressure (2024)

FAQs

Can drinking soda raise your blood pressure? ›

Results. A one-serving increase in soft drink intake was associated with a 2.08 mm Hg (95% CI: 0.21, 3.94) increase in systolic blood pressure and 2.09 mm Hg (95% CI: 0.81, 3.36) increase in diastolic blood pressure over ten years.

Drinking more than 4 cups of coffee a day may increase your blood pressure. If you're a big fan of coffee, tea or other caffeine-rich drinks, such as cola and some energy drinks, consider cutting down.

The new study seems to bolster previous research showing that cutting back even just a serving of soda a day can help lower blood pressure for those most at risk.

It turns out sugar could be the biggest cause of high blood pressure. Don't fear! Natural sugar in fruits and vegetables is fine. It's excess amounts of added sugars to watch out for – especially, high fructose corn syrup.

What causes high blood pressure? High blood pressure usually develops over time. It can happen because of unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as not getting enough regular physical activity. Certain health conditions, such as diabetes and having obesity, can also increase the risk for developing high blood pressure.

Egg consumption has no significant effects on systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults.

The meta-analysis of 12 trials and 553 hypertensive participants confirmed that garlic supplements lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) by an average of 8.3±1.9 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP, n=8 trials, n=374 subjects) by 5.5±1.9 mmHg, similarly to standard anti-hypertensive medications.

Caffeine may cause a short, but dramatic increase in your blood pressure, even if you don't have high blood pressure. It's unclear what causes this spike in blood pressure. The blood pressure response to caffeine differs from person to person.

Those folks who are slow metabolizers of caffeine may present with high blood pressure after drinking a cup of joe or iced tea. For these people, it may be best to limit the amount of caffeine to less than 200 mg per day, which is about two eight-ounce cups of coffee, or just switch to decaffeinated.

One 12 ounce soda contains 45 milligrams of caffeine—that's double the amount of caffeine in a standard cup of coffee. If you do drink soda, try to drink one extra glass of water for each can of soda you drink in a day!

What happens if I only drink water? ›

What are the risks of a water diet? When your main (or only) intake is water, your body loses crucial nutrients it needs. The short-term result is that you will lose a lot of weight, most of which will be water not fat, says Upton.

May improve heart health

According to one review, honey may help lower blood pressure, improve blood fat levels, regulate your heartbeat, and prevent the death of healthy cells — all factors that can improve your heart function and health ( 6 ).

In fact, research shows that eating a diet rich in whole grains (such as quinoa and other ancient grains, oatmeal and brown rice) helps fend off heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and some forms of cancer.

Polyphenols, in particular flavanols in cocoa products, have been shown to increase the formation of endothelial nitric oxide, which promotes vasodilation and consequently may lower blood pressure [6-8].

Blood pressure has a daily pattern. Usually, blood pressure starts to rise a few hours before a person wakes up. It continues to rise during the day, peaking in midday. Blood pressure typically drops in the late afternoon and evening.

Insomnia is linked to high blood pressure and heart disease. Over time, poor sleep can also lead to unhealthy habits that can hurt your heart, including higher stress levels, less motivation to be physically active, and unhealthy food choices.

Not eating enough folate can also lead to anaemia which can cause low blood pressure. Include foods that are high in folates like asparagus, beans, and lentils in your diet. Fruits containing folate can help increase blood pressure. Fruits good for low blood pressure patients include lime, orange, and grapefruit.

Milk provides approximately 350 mg of potassium per cup (11% DV) [21]. High dietary potassium intake is associated with lower BP and maintaining adequate intake of dietary potassium (>3500 mg/d) is recommended for the primary prevention of HTN by the JNC 7 [6].

Multiple studies report modest reductions in blood pressure in people who take fish oil supplements. There's some evidence that the beneficial effects of fish oil might be greater for people with moderate to severe high blood pressure than for those with mild blood pressure elevation.

Can aspirin Reduce blood pressure? ›

Abstract. Aspirin is used for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention by millions of patients on a daily basis. Previous studies suggested that aspirin intake at bedtime reduces blood pressure compared with intake on awakening.

The use of ginger in cardiovascular diseases has long been known. Ginger is known to have a diuretic⁷ and blood pressure (BP)-lowering effect.

Meta-analysis showed that green tea consumption caused a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and total and LDL cholesterol. The effects on diastolic blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides were not significant.

New Blood Pressure Standards for Seniors

The ideal blood pressure for seniors is now considered 120/80 (systolic/diastolic), which is the same for younger adults. The high blood pressure range for seniors starts at hypertension stage 1, spanning between 130-139/80-89.

Several studies have found that green tea inhibits the formation of cancers, lowers high blood pressure, and reduces the risk of heart disease.

Better circulation

Heat warms your body and helps blood flow throughout your body. Better circulation may lower blood pressure and reduce risk of heart disease. Having a cup or two of hot water is an easy way to get your blood flowing.

Regular acetaminophen use increases both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in individuals with hypertension, with an effect similar to that of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories. This rise in blood pressure is seen both in those taking and not taking antihypertensive therapy.

Soda can be harmful to your overall health, too. Short-term effects include an increase in blood sugar and blood pressure, increased dopamine production, and dilated pupils. After the sugar high wears off, mental fogginess, lethargy, fatigue, and mood changes can follow.

How much soda is too much? ›

Although The Food and Drug Administration believe the levels of benzene found in soda have been tested and should not be a cause for alarm, many companies may not devote the time and effort to monitor the levels. Therefore, most strict recommendations indicate that you should not drink more than one can of soda a week.

You've probably heard the advice to drink eight glasses of water a day. That's easy to remember, and it's a reasonable goal. Most healthy people can stay hydrated by drinking water and other fluids whenever they feel thirsty. For some people, fewer than eight glasses a day might be enough.

As a result of discontinuing eating, patients can die in as early as a few days. For most people, this period without food usually lasts about 10 days, but in rare instances, it can last several weeks.

Altogether, it seems possible to survive without food and drink within a time span of 8 to 21 days. If a person is only deprived of food, the survival time may even go up to about two months, although this is influenced by many factors.

Something as simple as keeping yourself hydrated by drinking six to eight glasses of water every day improves blood pressure. Water makes up 73% of the human heart,¹ so no other liquid is better at controlling blood pressure.

Caffeine may cause a short, but dramatic increase in your blood pressure, even if you don't have high blood pressure. It's unclear what causes this spike in blood pressure. The blood pressure response to caffeine differs from person to person.

Walking lowers systolic blood pressure by 4.11 mm Hg (95% CI, 3.01 to 5.22 mm Hg). It lowers diastolic blood pressure by 1.79 mm Hg (95% CI, 1.07 to 2.51 mm Hg) and resting heart rate by 2.76 beats per minute (bpm; 95% CI, 0.95 to 4.57 bpm).

Infused Water

Citrus, such as lemon and limes, has been shown to reduce blood pressure and has the added benefit of adding a little flavor to a boring glass of water.

Meta-analysis showed that green tea consumption caused a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and total and LDL cholesterol. The effects on diastolic blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides were not significant.

Do bananas lower blood pressure? ›

But you might not know that a banana a day keeps high blood pressure at bay. This fruit is packed full of potassium -- an important blood pressure-lowering mineral. Potassium helps balance sodium in the body. The more potassium you eat, the more sodium your body gets rid of.

Sit down and focus on your breathing. Take a few deep breaths and hold them for a few seconds before releasing. Take your blood pressure medication if your doctor has prescribed something for you. A cup of hibiscus or chamomile tea can also help you feel calmer, it is a good idea to stock up on these teabags.

There are several home remedies that can help manage high blood pressure levels, including reducing your sodium intake, staying active, decreasing stress levels, and limiting your intake of alcohol.